Catch A Falling Star
by BookProf101
Summary: Natsu falls asleep in Lucy's bed. But that's not the problem; what's really disturbing is the dreams...the terror.
1. Lost Nights

**Okay, this is different from your average story. It's a story…with a collection of oneshots and drabbles within it. This is gonna be good! SO MUCH FUN! I love trying something new. Like red bean icecream. It's surprisingly good.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

**-BookProf101**

Natsu stumbled into Lucy's room. Challenging Gajeel to an eating contest had not been the best idea. Both Dragon Slayers had left the guild late that night; they had collapsed after attempting to eat a chocolate cake. With tons of frosting and chocolate chips. Not mention whipped cream.

He could still hear Lucy's words as she left the guild that night for some "decent attempts at sleep."

_Lucy frowned at Natsu. "You're going to make yourself sick."_

"_No I won't! My stomach is made of fire! I'll burn it away! Besides, I have to beat Metalface over there. He owes me from last week." Natsu grinned._

_Lucy shook her head. "Sugar before bed causes nightmares. Honestly. Good night." She waved to him and she and Levy walked toward Fairy Hills. It was girls' night._

Natsu, of course, hadn't paid any attention to Lucy's advice. Carefully lowering the window back into place, Natsu collapsed on Lucy's bed. Silly nightmares would know not to mess with a sleeping dragon.

Right?

**This is just a beginning to pique your interest. The real fun starts in the next chapter! *rubs hands together evilly* I am going to have so much fun…**

**-BookProf101**


	2. To Love, and to Lose

**Hello! I'm back in black! Well, I'm actually wearing white…but I love ACDC! **

**In this chapter, Natsu's first nightmare comes. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. **

She was falling.

And falling.

And falling.

The ground was hard against Natsu's feet as he ran, rivaling even Jet in speed. But he wasn't fast enough. A star had fallen to Earthland and he hadn't been able to catch her.

Panic overwhelmed Natsu. _She's not dead. She's survived thousands of falls before…Lucy, just hang on._

Blonde hair was streaked with red blood. Natsu stared in horror before crashing to his knees beside her. "Lucy…"

Her chest fluttered and she coughed blood. "Natsu…you came."

"Of course I did. You're my partner. My nakama."

Lucy could feel it. Death was coming for her on swift wings. She didn't know how she would tell this to him. It would break him. But Natsu was strong; he'd helped her up dozens of times. He would endure. Lucy tried to smile. "I have to go…there's someone waiting for me. But Natsu, don't worry; I'll still be right here." She laid her hand on his heart but then moved it. "And here." Her fingers brushed his guildmark.

"Don't leave me," Natsu whispered. "Don't go."

A sad, broken smile cracked Lucy's face. Death was killing her. No; this moment was killing her. The moment she would have to let go.

A salty drop splashed Lucy's forehead, like liquid fire. Natsu pressed his lips to hers, clutching her hand, the one with a mark that would stay until death. He stared in horror at the pink guildmark erased itself, the last embers of life leaving Lucy's eyes until all that was left was a dull glow. Then all the light left.

A storm of emotions and an unsettling calm crashed into Natsu. A sharp pain was in his chest, high and keen, until he heard a snap. Part of him was dead, lying on the ground in front of him. His heart was shattered; Death had been the one fall he couldn't save her from.

Natsu's heart wasn't beating, it wasn't even with him. It was lying in front of him, still and dead. His lungs weren't working; what good was breathing if all he'd lived for was broken and bleeding? Natsu crumpled, a low rumbling sound exploding from his chest. The sound of a mourning dragon.

Unbearable pain was packed into the sound, one of love and intense feeling. All the guild members stopped running toward the mourning dragon. The sound was deafening. They couldn't move, couldn't breathe. They were frozen in pain.

Wendy began to sob; as a Dragon Slayer, his pain was almost tangible. She could feel it, almost see how badly his heart was broken. Natsu had just lost his mate. And that wound was fatal. She climbed to her feet, staggering as it began to rain fire.

She inched closer before throwing up. Lucy's body was a mess of blood and bone and totally beyond repair. _Get a grip, Wendy! Otherwise you won't have Natsu._ She flexed her fingers and enveloped the older dragon slayer in a tight hug.

"Natsu-nii, do you want-" Wendy's voice broke. His eyes were so hollow. "Do you want me t-to fix the body?" Her words tasted nasty in her mouth. She shouldn't be saying that. It only made a broken image real. That Lucy was gone. And wouldn't be coming back. The thought hit Wendy like a tidal wave.

A large hand rested on her shoulder. It was Gajeel. Though he hadn't been good friends with Bunny Girl, he could tell that she must have been something special to the Salamander. "Let's go."

Wendy nodded, cleaning Lucy up a bit and hugging Natsu one more time. He needed to grieve a little first before she could begin to mend heal his soul. Wendy knew there would be scars, and some wounds wouldn't even heal. She couldn't begin to imagine how to help his heart.

Natsu staggered to his feet and hefted Lucy in his arms. This was the last of his mate, the only part of her she'd left behind. He had to take care of her. Even if it was just an empty shell without her spark.

Everyone attended the funeral. And yet, no one was at the funeral.

It was silent as the grave. A wave of people dressed in black proceeded behind a solid coffin. Passers-by felt sick, sick to their stomach; the pain and tragedy radiated from the group was thick. Earth crunched beneath Fairy Tail's feet as they lowered the coffin in the ground.

It began to pour. Heavy, massive drops poured from the sky, drenching everyone. No body minded; the weather matched their mood. Gusts of wind blew the rain everywhere, knocking hats off of heads, getting headbands stuck in trees. And nobody minded.

Lightning crackled and Fairy Tail erupted. Their stunned silence was broken. Seeing their golden girl, their one and only Celestial mage, dressed in a long white dress had broken them. Ice skittered over the graveyard, frosting windows six miles away. A sword clattered to the ground, followed by chinks of smashed armor.

But one man stood in the pouring rain, refusing to tear his eyes from Lucy. Tendrils of pink hair fell in his eyes but he never moved them away. It was as if he were stone.

Natsu gazed at the serene face, Lucy's eyes closed. He remembered what Wendy had told him when he saw her in white.

_The door to her apartment was open and Natsu went through. There wasn't any point in using the window anymore; there wasn't anyone to greet who would yell at him and then smile. Lucy was lying on her bed, the one he'd slept in so many times. She was wearing a long white dress, sort of like a wedding dress._

"_Why a wedding dress?" He just didn't understand; she was gone now and no one in their right minds would marry Lucy because she was his._

"_She once told me that she wanted to get married and have a family like the one she didn't have. And that was her dream dress. Lucy-nee even told me why she liked it so much." Wendy gazed at the girl on the bed. "It matches your scarf."_

_Natsu looked closer. A diamond pattern rippled all over the dress, exactly like his scarf._

"_I saw it."_

_Natsu looked at Wendy._

"_Your kiss. I'm glad you did. Lucy also said she didn't want to die without her first kiss. And I think I understand. A kiss links two people, no matter how far away they are."_

Natsu lifted a hand and took out a box from his pocket. He opened it and wrapped the item around Lucy's neck. It wasn't white, but it would have to do. Natsu leaned forward and kissed her one last time, knowing that just one kiss wouldn't be enough. But it would have to do for now.

Until he could see her again.

As Fairy Tail left, tears marked their path. Sparks of fire died in the streets. The new headstone glinted in the rain, slick and shiny.

_Lucy Heartfilia_

_Brave. Smart. Funny. Kind. Weird. _

And six feet under was a girl wearing a wedding dress stiff with starch, blue heart earrings, and a pink scaly scarf.

**I need to cry. I didn't want to include the birth date and death date.**

**Please review!**

**-BookProf101**


	3. Two Rings and a party

***starts sobbing* I just realized…I KILLED A CHARACTER! I'm such a horrible person. *cries harder* And I read a really sad book called **_**My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece.**_** Has anyone read Ch. 368 of the manga yet? I swear, I'm equal parts mad, sad, and **_**devastated**_**.**

***grabs Fairy Tail characters and wraps them in blankets* Mr. Mashima can have them back when he learns to play nicely.**

**Summary: This nightmare takes place two or three years after Lucy "dies." It's from the perspective of Fairy Tail. The second part takes place at Lucy's apartment and is sort of from Natsu's POV.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail. **

They never wondered why he wore two rings. One was gold and dented and large, easily fitting him. The other was smaller, more delicate. A pink pearl and two topazes on the thin silver band gave of an air of feminity. It just barely fit his pinky finger. The guild knew why, but that didn't mean other people did.

They could only stare and flinch internally whenever a stranger would come up to him, all false smiles and sugary sweetness, asking why _the _Natsu Dragneel wore two rings. He wasn't married, was he? Did he elope?

The guild would stare in heart breaking pain. Even after only two years, the Dragon Slayer was viable to crack and shatter from the smallest things. They could only watch as Natsu's smile, plastered on and sagging miserably, would totally fall off his face and rip like a soggy piece of paper. They felt his pain as he explained, over and over again, why he wore the rings in three simple words. "My mate died."

Any guild member nearby (they were always nearby; family stood by each other) would wince in pain.

People stared at him, at the salmon-haired man's broken glances at the ring on his little finger. Soon people stopped asking; it was a painful subject to think about but somehow even more painful to ignore.

So they accepted it when the Dragon Slayer couldn't eat vanilla cake without shedding a tear. They knew, deep down, that the dragon was still in mourning, that he wouldn't be okay for a long time. And they hoped that one day his smile wouldn't be so broken. They knew it wouldn't be exactly like before, but one day they knew: Things would be better. So when Natsu and Happy made their way home from the guild every day, someone was always there to say goodbye and say hello again in the morning.

The window creaked open without a sound and Natsu hopped inside. He'd done this dozens of times before, if only so he could relive the best parts of life with Lucy. Her apartment was musty from abandonment, but he still kept up the rent. Part of him just couldn't let go of her so soon.

A faint scent of vanilla floated in the air and Natsu stood still, eyes closed. A sheaf of papers was still lying on the desk, the last sentence unfinished. A thin coating of dust lay over everything, but nothing could change the fact that someone extraordinarily special in her own way had once lived and breathed here.

Natsu sighed, remembering all the things Lucy would scream at him for trespassing. He could almost feel her foot smashing into his face. He smiled a little; those had been good times. His thoughts strayed toward the guild. Yes, an air of sadness hung from the rafters. It had been months since there had been any major partying. Was that what Lucy would have wanted?

"No."

"Hmm?" He must have spoken out loud.

"No. Even though Lucy thought we were weird, she-" Happy paused for a breath. The taste of her name in his mouth…was like eating fish after not having any for a long time. "She once told me that even though everyone was really rowdy and destructive, she wouldn't trade it for the world."

Natsu blinked. The guild wasn't the way Lucy would have wanted it. If she could see them right now, Lucy would probably throw a fit. She'd make everyone cheer up.

Natsu smiled. It was easier now think of how Lucy would have wanted things. "All right! We never did have a welcome home party for Lucy!"

"What do you mean Natsu?"

"If she's up in the sky, she's with her mom right? She probably didn't get a party with her family, so let's throw one for her! One last Fairy Tail party for her!" Natsu grinned and opened the window. "Let's go Happy!"

The two soared into the sky and far above them, a star twinkled, as if laughing.

Fairy Tail would get the surprise of its life.

**Okay, so it's a little short. I wanted to make up for all the sadness from last chapter by making this chapter a little lighter. Natsu is on his way to healing, mostly. If Lucy died for real, I don't think he would ever get over it as quickly as I put in, but for story purposes just go with it. The nightmares are going to be like little moments of time over years without Lucy. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go cry now…I still can't believe I killed a character. Who would like a little light-hearted moment every two chapters about the girls' night at Fairy Hills? Please review and let me know!**

**-BookProf101**


	4. Never forget to love

**Hey all! I'm back! Sorry for the delay…I was detained by algebra. This next chapter's a little lighter hearted but still pretty sad/wistful. The two blunette children mentioned are Juvia and Gray's daughter and Levy and Gajeel's daughter. **

**GaLe daughter: Nimira Lucy Redfox (Nim for short)**

**Gruvia daughter: Amaya Lily Fullbuster (Called Amy)**

**-BookProf101**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

"What's Uncle Natsu doing?" Nim asked. He'd been staring at the night sky for a while, looking but not seeing. It was starting to worry the little blunette.

Amy shook her head, light blue curls swishing across her face. "I don't know."

The two girls shared a glance. "Let's ask him."

It has been nearly fifteen years since the day he lost Lucy yet his memories never fade. The sadness was still there, a small stone settling at the bottom of the lake that was his heart. It was there, like a dull ache that occasionally spiked into sharp pains. Natsu can only smile wistfully at the fireworks as they explode into fiery, hungry beacons. A few yards away he spies his partner and almost son, Happy, trying to manage his ever-rambunctious family. Carla sniffs at his unorthodox way of managing before smiling and deciding to help.

Even now he can see her smile, her laughter at Fairy Tail's antics, and her happiness at the new additions to her family. It fills him up and empties him out at the same time. The beer in his hand has cooled down, the fire inside burning all the alcohol until it became a mere candle flame. He chuckled as he imagined her reaction to the latest news: Jellal had finally wisened up and had proposed to Erza. Her eyes would sparkle and she'd start to plan what she'd wear, what to get the bride, how much cake to order…Lucy would have been glowing with happiness. Her ring sparkled on his pinky finger next to his gold band, as if laughing in agreement. Shadows shifted in the corner of his eye and Natsu turned his attention to the two little blue-haired girls hiding behind a bush.

"It's okay to come out, Amy and Nim. This is your first party at Fairy Tail, right?" A small twinkle appeared in his eye. "Let me show you the right way to party!" He leapt up, determined not to let the girls see how sad the keen absence of Lucy was making him. It _was_ their first proper Fairy Tail party after all.

"That's okay Uncle Natsu, but we have a question to ask you," Nim said, sweet and to the point. Amy perked up.

"Yeah. Why were you so sad?" Amy balanced on her tiptoes, not wanting to miss his response. She'd like to help her uncle in any way she could; he _was_ the best of her uncles and didn't mind playing Dragon vs. Princesses every once in a while.

Nim cut in, seeing Amy's question off balance the Dragon Slayer. "What we mean, Uncle Natsu, is that you were staring off at the night sky and we wanted to know if anything was wrong." She blinked twice, hazel eyes widening like a puppy's. So cute.

Natsu smiled, not the usual that they knew, but a sad, broken smile trying to heal. "I'm missing someone, that's all."

"Can we find her for you?" Amy asked, voice nearly pleading. MIrajane was teaching her to grow up like a lady and kindness was her lesson earlier that day. She was aching to put it into practice. Who better to start with than family?

A long stretch of silence filled their conversation, the stars up above winking down at the party in full swing. The music was the perfect blend between loud and romantic. Nim's keen ears could hear Cana and Bacchus' drunked laughter across the square. They were going all out, already having downed half of Mirajane's stock of whiskey and getting started on wine.

Natsu observed the girls. They would grow up to be strong, kind, intelligent girls. Nim, he could tell, had a way with words and would the perfect mix of her mom and dad. Amy was unpredictable but yearning for the best in life. Like his Lucy. They'd do Fairy Tail proud.

"Thanks, but I already know where she is," he said. "She's right here." He laid a hand over his heart and then touched his Fairy Tail mark. She was in all of them, gone but never missing from his heart.

The two girls nodded and skipped away, realizing that their Uncle Natsu would party when he was ready, that he needed some alone time. Amy knew that deep down, he wouldn't be alright, ever, but on the outside he could try to live and put on a brave, happy face for his family. She spied her mother sitting at a wooden table talking animatedly to Auntie Levy.

"Mum," Nim said, climbing into her mother's lap. Levy looked down.

"Yes?"

"What did Uncle Natsu mean, that "She's right here."? I don't understand." A frown passed over her button nose. "Does that mean he ate someone?"

Levy inhaled. Oh god. She'd tucked the bad memories away, cherishing the good ones she had of Lu-chan. But it still stung. Levy had planned to tell Nim when she was older, but now would have to do. Confusion wasn't something Nim could deal with.

"Well…there was a woman, you were born, who was my best friend. She's your Aunt Lucy." Nim nodded her head; she'd heard snatches about her Aunt Lucy but didn't really know who she was or what made her so special and loved in the guild.

"She and Uncle Natsu were the best of friends. Anyone could see that he loved her. But one day…one day," Levy swallowed tears. "Juvia, you tell her. I-I can't…right now."

Juvia nodded. "What Levy is trying to say is that Natsu and Lucy loved each other without knowing it. For a while, Juvia thought Lucy was her love rival, but they eventually were friends. There was a…a dangerous situation that came up and Aunt Lucy died. It broke Uncle Natsu, in a way. Fairy Tail was broken. But Juvia and the others learned to heal. Some wounds just don't close fully, that's all."

Nim nodded her head, brow furrowed. This wasn't the story she wanted to hear. Anything else, really, but death. "Go on please, Aunt Juvia."

"Uncle Natsu's outside wounds healed, but deep down," Juvia's hand strayed toward her heart. "Deep down, Natsu has a scar that, Juvia knows, won't ever heal."

Nim bowed her head, suddenly swimming in a sea of sadness. Her Uncle Natsu had once been a happy person, happier than he was now. And in love? She just couldn't imagine it. Nim guessed you had to be there to see it, to understand how much Aunt Lucy had meant to him.

"So where is she now?" Amy asked.

"Far away, in a place no one has a name for yet. And still, Aunt Lucy's here." Juvia and Levy rested a hand on their daughters' hearts, small smiles cradled by their lips. "Don't ever forget, okay? She was kind, intelligent, beautiful, and above all, someone you could always rely on. Someone to look up to."

Nim and Amy nodded, more for the sake of making those sad smiles go away from their mothers' faces than in understanding. But later, later, they knew, one day they'd get the entire story. The unedited version, Aunt Lucy's life history.

Amy, the more feeling of the two, knew that it would hurt to know Aunt Lucy's history. It was just a feeling she had. And hadn't Aunt Mirajane said that everyone in Fairy Tail had something sad in their past, something they must carry in their hearts? So she steadied her heart, to learn more about the mysterious Aunt Lucy.

And far away, in a place yet unnamed, a star shone a little brighter down on Fairy Tail, keeping an eternal watch until the day when she'd be able to reunite with the rest of her family. She promised to watch over and look out for Fairy Tail's legacy, the members she'd met and one she hadn't. The star would keep an eternal vigil over her family, even if she just became a story, a legend, someone mythical. Because in one heart, she knew, forever she'd exist. And that heart burned with a loving fire to last forever.

**Thoughts? Feelings? Intentions to grill the author? Let me know!**

**-BookProf101**


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